Male circumcision is older than recorded history. Many historians believe it is even older than the Biblical account of Abraham and it had been originated in eastern Africa long before that time.
There are many theories advanced to explain the origin of circumcision. One theory postulates that circumcision began as a way of "purifying" individuals and society, as a rite of passage marking a boy's entrance into adulthood and as a form of sympathetic magic to ensure virility.
Others think that male circumcision began as a religious sacrifice, as a means of suppressing (or enhancing) sexual pleasure and as an aid to hygiene. The oldest documentary evidence for circumcision comes from Egypt
The Jews and Muslims adopted circumcision as a religious ritual and preserved this prehistoric practice into modern times.
Circumcision is most common in the Middle East, the USA and parts of Africa and Asia. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), 30% of men worldwide have had the procedure, mostly in countries where it is common for religious or cultural reasons.
